Podiatry intervention versus usual care to prevent falls in care homes: pilot randomised controlled trial (the PIRFECT study).

BACKGROUND: Common foot problems are independent risk factors for falls in older people. There is evidence that podiatry can prevent falls in community-dwelling populations. The feasibility of implementing a podiatry intervention and trial in the care home population is unknown. To inform a potential future definitive trial, we performed a pilot randomised controlled trial to assess: (i) the feasibility of a trial of a podiatry intervention to reduce care home falls, and (ii) the potential direction and magnitude of the effect of the intervention in terms of number of falls in care home residents. METHODS: Informed by Medical Research Council guidance on developing and evaluating complex interventions, we conducted a single blind, pilot randomised controlled trial in six care homes in the East of Scotland. Participants were randomised to either: (i) a three month podiatry intervention comprising core podiatry care, foot and ankle exercises, orthoses and footwear provision or (ii) usual care. Falls-related outcomes (number of falls, time to first fall) and feasibility-related outcomes (recruitment, retention, adherence, data collection rates) were collected. Secondary outcomes included: generic health status, balance, mobility, falls efficacy, and ankle joint strength. RESULTS: 474 care home residents were screened. 43 (9.1%) participants were recruited: 23 to the intervention, 20 to control. Nine (21%) participants were lost to follow-up due to declining health or death. It was feasible to deliver the trial elements in the care home setting. 35% of participants completed the exercise programme. 48% reported using the orthoses 'all or most of the time'. Completion rates of the outcome measures were between 93% and 100%. No adverse events were reported. At the nine month follow-up period, the intervention group per-person fall rate was 0.77 falls vs. 0.83 falls in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A podiatry intervention to reduce falls can be delivered to care home residents within a pilot randomised controlled trial of the intervention. Although not powered to determine effectiveness, these preliminary data provide justification for a larger trial, incorporating a full process evaluation, to determine whether this intervention can significantly reduce falls in this high-risk population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02178527 ; Date of registration: 17 June 2014.

Factors affecting the patient journey and patient care when receiving an unlicensed medicine: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Unlicensed medicines are used across the UK to treat an individual's clinical needs when there are no appropriate licensed alternatives. Patients, carers and parents have reported facing challenges with unlicensed medicines at the points of transfer of care between settings, a key time when medication errors may occur. There is little known about the patient journey as a whole, or the factors affecting patient care when receiving an unlicensed medicine. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review of UK literature to better understand factors that affect the entire patient journey from the decision to initiate treatment with an unlicensed medicine to the point at which treatment is supplied through a community pharmacy or ends. METHODS: Scopus, OVID EMCARE, EMBASE, OVID Medline ALL, CINAHL, Web of Science and Joanna Briggs Institute were searched from 1968 (introduction of the Medicines Act) until November 2020, using the PRISMA guidelines. Narrative synthesis of UK studies was employed to analyse descriptive and qualitative data on any reported findings that would impact the patient journey or care related to the use of unlicensed medicines, and any described barriers or enablers. RESULTS: Forty-five studies met criteria for final inclusion, with high levels of heterogeneity in terms of designs and methods. Specific challenges that were seen to impact the continuity of care across care settings, patient safety and provision of patient-centred care included diversity of clinical needs and impact of patient population age; healthcare professional awareness and acceptability of the use of unlicensed medicines; the hierarchical structure of the NHS; inconsistent doses and formulations with varying bioequivalence; patient/parent/carer/public awareness of unlicensed medicines use and perceived acceptability. CONCLUSIONS: This review identified a clear need for consistent information to be provided to healthcare professional and patients alike to support the safe and effective use of unlicensed medicines across care settings.

The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults With ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To systematically review the literature on published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adult ADHD and to establish the effectiveness of CBT in reducing ADHD symptoms. Method: A systematic review of nine RCTs and two subsequent meta-analyses of eight of the studies were conducted. Results: Just nine studies were identified, of generally good quality but with some limitations. Four trials (total N = 160) compared CBT with waiting list controls, and three trials (total N = 191) compared CBT with appropriate active control groups. Meta-analyses showed that CBT was superior to waiting list with a moderate to large effect size (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.21, 1.31], p = .006) and superior to active control groups with a small to moderate effect size (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI [0.14, 0.71], p = .004). Conclusion: These results give support to the efficacy of CBT in reducing symptoms of ADHD post-intervention.

The incremental validity of a computerised assessment added to clinical rating scales to differentiate adult ADHD from autism spectrum disorder.

There is a clinical need for objective evidence-based measures that are sensitive and specific to ADHD when compared with other neurodevelopmental disorders. This study evaluated the incremental validity of adding an objective measure of activity and computerised cognitive assessment to clinical rating scales to differentiate adult ADHD from Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Adults with ADHD (n=33) or ASD (n=25) performed the QbTest, comprising a Continuous Performance Test with motion-tracker to record physical activity. QbTest parameters measuring inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity were combined to provide a summary score ('QbTotal'). Binary stepwise logistic regression measured the probability of assignment to the ADHD or ASD group based on scores on the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale-subscale E (CAARS-E) and Autism Quotient (AQ10) in the first step and then QbTotal added in the second step. The model fit was significant at step 1 (CAARS-E, AQ10) with good group classification accuracy. These predictors were retained and QbTotal was added, resulting in a significant improvement in model fit and group classification accuracy. All predictors were significant. ROC curves indicated superior specificity of QbTotal. The findings present preliminary evidence that adding QbTest to clinical rating scales may improve the differentiation of ADHD and ASD in adults.

Developing mHealth Remote Monitoring Technology for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Qualitative Study Eliciting User Priorities and Needs.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines in the United Kingdom recommend that medication titration for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be completed within 4-6 weeks and include regular reviews. However, most clinicians think that weekly clinic contact is infeasible, and audits have shown that this timeline is rarely achieved. Thus, a more effective monitoring and review system is needed; remote monitoring technology (RMT) may be one way to improve current practice. However, little is known about whether patients with ADHD, their families, and clinicians would be interested in using RMT. OBJECTIVE: To explore patients', parents', and health care professionals' views and attitudes toward using digital technology for remote monitoring during titration for ADHD. METHODS: This was a qualitative study, and data were collected through 11 focus groups with adults and young people with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD, and health care professionals (N=59). RESULTS: All participant groups were positive about using RMT in the treatment of ADHD, but they were also aware of barriers to its use, especially around access to technology and integrating RMT into clinical care. They identified that RMT had the most potential for use in the ongoing management and support of ADHD, rather than during the distinct titration period. Participants identified features of RMT that could improve the quality of consultations and support greater self-management. CONCLUSIONS: RMT has the potential to augment support and care for ADHD, but it needs to go beyond the titration period and offer more to patients and families than monitoring through outcome measures. Developing and evaluating an mHealth app that incorporates the key features identified by end users is required.

Childhood meningitis in the conjugate vaccine era: a prospective cohort study.

Bacterial conjugate vaccines have dramatically changed the epidemiology of childhood meningitis; viral causes are increasingly predominant, but the current UK epidemiology is unknown. This prospective study recruited children under 16 years of age admitted to 3 UK hospitals with suspected meningitis. 70/388 children had meningitis-13 bacterial, 26 viral and 29 with no pathogen identified. Group B Streptococcus was the most common bacterial pathogen. Infants under 3 months of age with bacterial meningitis were more likely to have a reduced Glasgow Coma Score and respiratory distress than those with viral meningitis or other infections. There were no discriminatory clinical features in older children. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count and plasma C-reactive protein at all ages, and CSF protein in infants <3 months of age, distinguished between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis or other infections. Improved diagnosis of non-bacterial meningitis is urgently needed to reduce antibiotic use and hospital stay.